CHARLESTON, West Virginia (CNN) - West Virginians will head to the polls Tuesday for the state's Democratic primary between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But what will the vote there really mean after new delegate totals show Obama with a sizable lead?

Some say it could send a sobering message to Obama's Democratic supporters.

West Virginia is expected to go for Clinton big time - and the polls show it.

Clinton has a 43-point advantage over Obama, 66 percent to 23 percent, according to a survey from the American Research Group released Friday.

The poll was conducted after Tuesday's primary results and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

"This state is really Hillary Clinton's wheelhouse. It's an older population, socially conservative, blue-collar workers," said Kennie Bass, a political reporter for WCHS in West Virginia.

soundoff(437 Responses)

nate

We at Camp Obama recognize the tremendous support HIllary has and we recognize her impressive capabilities. Our policies and goals are virtually identical and therefore respectfully request all Dems come together around the nominee.

May 10, 2008 11:22 am at 11:22 am |

Jeanne

It won't mean anything. Clinton can only win the nomination by superdelegates over ruling the pledged delegates & popular vote, where Obama has the lead, and it doesn't look like this is going to happen.

May 10, 2008 11:22 am at 11:22 am |

Paul

It means nothing, just like her promises.

May 10, 2008 11:22 am at 11:22 am |

fred

Go Hillary!!

If not Hillary...then McCain!!

May 10, 2008 11:24 am at 11:24 am |

honkey white guy from cali

Hey Clinton News Network It means nothing duh!!!!!! He Has already won this one

May 10, 2008 11:24 am at 11:24 am |

yappy

Who cares ? She is acting wierder and wierder. I think she may have a break down before this is all over. Amazing that the young ,charasmatic black man is taking down a giant. Who would have known ? This Alaskan is extremely happy about that. I am tired TIRED of the Clintons.

May 10, 2008 11:24 am at 11:24 am |

lou from iowa

Let her go out on a couple high notes. I wasn't supporting her, but I sure feel sorry for her when I see her campaigning anymore.

May 10, 2008 11:25 am at 11:25 am |

jo

basically West Virginians won't vote for a black guy. shocker.

May 10, 2008 11:25 am at 11:25 am |

Todd Parks

I'm writing here because CNN closed their forum on a previous article related to West Virginia and the upcoming primary but I find it so offensive that because Hillary Clinton is up considerably in West Virginia that it means we (West Virginians) are obviously inbreed, redneck, and racist. Because we are voting for Hillary Clinton by a majority, many Obama supporters are blogging that we hunt from the back of pick up trucks and attend klan rallies...its so degrading...we cannot vote for Hillary just because we want to apparently...I am a 23 year old graduate student getting my masters in English Education and I was raised by a registered nurse and a coal miner. I come from a family of hard workers who have enstilled me with good morals that are not racist or redneck. I find it so offensive that when my state gets a say, many people in the United States play up on a stereotype which is so offensive...I know Sen. Obama isn't making these comments but I find it offensive that he's not working to win votes here...and I don't appreciate many of his supporters degrading myself or Appalachian heritage. I am going to step off of my soap box now.

May 10, 2008 11:28 am at 11:28 am |

After further review,Texas

I know folks in the Bluefield area and we joke about the perception out of staters have and they tell me dont believe the polls.They do know panderers when they see them but they also have hope for a more prosperous West Virginia.They have been lied to for years and they want Change and change in their pockets.

May 10, 2008 11:28 am at 11:28 am |

John Pittsburgh

Why do you keep stringing the Hillary fans along? It's like when you act like you're throwing a ball for your dog but you don't really throw it. ...It's sad.

May 10, 2008 11:28 am at 11:28 am |

Reality Time Hillary

Question..... Hillary has ridden on the coat tails of her husband's presidency. Obama, a virtually unknown, has ridden on hope and inspiration and carries a little more than half of the country. Why is that she could not close the deal?

May 10, 2008 11:29 am at 11:29 am |

Rob

Get a clue Clinton News Network. She is done. Start reporting on some real political news.

May 10, 2008 11:29 am at 11:29 am |

Educated Clinton Supporter

What it will show is that Obama doesn't have a chunk of Democrats that he will need in November.

Obama doesn't think he needs these voters or he will be trying to court them. If Obama or his followers think that they will change their minds come election time, it shows they are living in kool-aid land.

Don't think for a minute that the DNC isn't worried about this.

May 10, 2008 11:29 am at 11:29 am |

Tina

It means nothing. It is a prime demographic for Hillary and she has been expected to win WV all along. She's just trying to move the goal posts yet again...her win here will be cancelled out by an Obama win in Oregon, nothing that happens from here on out can put her in the lead.

It's over.

May 10, 2008 11:30 am at 11:30 am |

@americans

Well, the polls show Hillarious closing in on Obama in N.C and leading in Indiana. What did the results turned out to be at the end of the day? DEAD WRONG!

So, CNN go ahead with your polls. Hillarious can win 100% WV votes and delegates and it wont make a dent on Obama's lead in popular votes, most pledged delegates, and his increasing super delegates count!

At this stage in the game, Hillarious is irrelevant! GAME OVER!

OBAMA WON!!

YES WE CAN!!!!!

May 10, 2008 11:30 am at 11:30 am |

Ardnuas

It means this women is a NUT, and she is trying to DESTROY the Democratic Party. The Clintons' have NO SHAME.....NONE!!!!!
Obama/Edwards08

May 10, 2008 11:30 am at 11:30 am |

Sick of Her

It will mean she will keep crowing about how she is the only one who can win "hard working" uh "white hard working" American voters. That just isn't true. Obama didn't get here with just the black vote. I am a hard working w/woman who strongly supports Obama.

May 10, 2008 11:31 am at 11:31 am |

HD

West Virginia is important to the democratic party. Every state is important in the big picture. In the current race between Obama and Clinton (which is over by the way), this state is worth 26 delegates. She is spending all of her hard earned money on this state and will likely net a total of 10 delegates. He still leads pledged delegates by 150+.

Obama announced 6 superdelegates yesterday. This in itself erases the benefit in delegates that she will gain from West Virginia. More superdelegates will follow.

So bottom line is that a state that is one of the oldest and lacks social progression is obviously a great state for Hillary. It is 95% plus caucasian and lots of those rural folks won't vote for a black man. Period. So should those value reflect the values of the democratic party as a whole? I don't think so but everyone has an opinion.

If she wins by 44%, then she will only gain 10 delegates because he will get around 8 and she will get around 19. That is soooo small given the demographics in the area, the amount of money she is spending (which by the way her campaign is broke) and there are only two other contests up ahead where she will likely win....Kentucky and Puerto Rico (which has more delegates than New Hamphsire or Kentucky for some weird reason b/c Puerto Rico does NOT get votes in the general election....c'mon Howard Dean).

May 10, 2008 11:32 am at 11:32 am |

Ken @ Charlotte, NC

Although I have never lived in West Virginia I have traveled and worked extensively in state. I am acutely aware of the reason there are few African-Americans there. This state is 100 years behind all others in many areas. If Hillary wins West Virginia as expected I would say it was because her temperment was a close match for the people who live there.

May 10, 2008 11:32 am at 11:32 am |

Edward

I'd like to see a poll of who people would vote for if all three candidates ran for President of the United States: Obama (Democrat), McCain (Republican) and Clinton (Independent).

May 10, 2008 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

david

In short – it means nothing. As a democrat, I'm willing to part with WV's five electoral votes, in order to have a candidate that is more than the lesser of two evils.

Hillary can milk her racist white base in WV and KY, and then what? The people have spoken. Hillary should concede and then start immediately sucking up to Obama and the party. Personally, I think she's a horrible choice for V.P., but that really is her last shot – Hillary '16. I think she'll be 69 (ha)

May 10, 2008 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

Norm

Why can't people see a Hillary/Obama ticket that gives the dems the house for 16 years.......... when has that happened? Obama still young he could use the experience. ..Hello!

May 10, 2008 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

mike from texas

CNN showing the poll, but they never show the how many delegate in
West Virgina. It is not the perfect report .

May 10, 2008 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

Ex-Hillary supporter

It means Clinton's racist remarks the eve of West Virginia's primary were deliberate and timely and will bring her a win she craves.
Fortunately, the rest of the country is more enlightened, Obama will be the nominee and the country will benefit from a well deserved break from the Bush/Clinton years.